1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a display apparatus including an optical plate and a method of manufacturing the same. More particularly, the present invention for one or more embodiments relates to a display apparatus including an optical plate provided with a plurality of regions having different thicknesses and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Related Art
With the development of digital technology, driving mechanisms of display apparatuses have generally been changed from analog to digital. Such a change occurs naturally due to the customer's needs of lightweight display apparatuses, high quality images, and high definition images.
In such a situation, liquid crystal displays lead to the digitalization of the image apparatus into a slim display apparatus having high resolution. In order to expand the market for liquid crystal displays, however, many developers have attempted to develop products having low power consumption and low manufacturing cost.
A liquid crystal display typically comprises a liquid crystal panel and backlight unit. The liquid crystal panel serves as a non-emissive element. The backlight unit serves as a light source to provide light to the liquid crystal panel. In particular, the backlight unit includes a light source provided in the form of a linear light source or a point light source, and an optical sheet, which allows light emitted from the light source to pass through it. The optical sheet converts linear or point light into surface light and increases light brightness.
Currently, the tendency toward a display apparatus having a slim structure, low power consumption, and a low manufacturing cost has led to a light emitting diode being developed as the light source. The light emitting diode is a type of point light source, however, and the density of light it provides to the display panel is generally not uniform. Accordingly, the display apparatus requires an optical plate capable of enhancing uniformity in the density of light emitted from the light source to achieve the slim structure, low power consumption, and low manufacturing cost while obtaining superior display quality.